Leeds United got themselves back on track in the Championship with a hugely impressive 3-0 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Noel Whelan has told BBC Radio Leeds that he thought Liam Cooper was fantastic during Leeds’ win over Bristol City on Saturday, and added that he thought that the defender was the perfect leader for Thomas Christiansen’s men on a dream afternoon.
Leeds went into the game at Ashton Gate as underdogs having lost their previous three league games, while they were facing a Robins side who were unbeaten at home – but the Yorkshire side turned the formbook on its head in sensational fashion.
Samu Saiz celebrates scoring Leeds’ first goal
Leeds claimed a 3-0 win thanks to a brace from Samuel Saiz and another from Pierre-Michel Lasogga, but a number of players stepped up after their recent slump. And Whelan expressed his delight at Cooper’s performance in particular, praising his leadership qualities during the contest.
“You look at people and you want leaders out there, and he came out and that’s exactly what he was. His performance was fantastic but it was his talking, his managing of the players – and they followed suit, they listened – it wasn’t just ‘please will you do this’, it’s ordering them to go and do the job and come into a position and cover,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.
“There was a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He wears the armband and he came out and he delivered.
“It wasn’t just the performance, there was something about him today that said ‘we’re not getting beat, I’m going to get this team back on track’, and he took the bull by the horns and he made it happen. And everyone followed suit.”
The performance against Lee Johnson’s men is arguably another example that Cooper’s transformation is complete as he occasionally appeared to be a liability last season when he was the back-up choice for Garry Monk.
The 26-year-old has had his flaws, but he has really established himself as one of the first names on Christiansen’s teamsheet this season, and his current run of form has arguably provided the best explanation yet as to why so many managers have looked at him as a captain and a real leader.
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